Salute
by katiesparks
Summary: The salute to the sky was a familiar one to humanity, the stretching of every muscle as they struggled to get higher still. Fingers splayed, reaching on tiptoes to the sky above. It was salute as old as time, to the sky and to the joy of being alive. AU
1. Salute

_**They were fliers, all of them...**_

"Tower, this Kitten, requesting landing clearance." Aoko said into the head piece, adjusting her altitude slightly as she angled towards base.

"Kitten, this is the Tower responding, await clearance." The comm. buzzed back after seconds. Aoko sighed and started circling the base slowly.

"Kitten, this is Magic, do you copy?" came a grinning voice through her headpiece and Aoko began peering out her side windows carefully. If he was talking to her, he was close. She'd learn that long ago.

"Magic, this is Kitten, what the hell do you want?" Aoko responded in her most professional tone and the voice laughed in her ears.

"Coming in on your left, I was just warning you! Also, I _might _be flying upside-down...."

"Upside-down, Kaito, you idiot-!" Aoko started only to get cut off as the Tower cut in.

"Use your flight names over the comms or so help me, Kitten, I'm going to kill you!" Tower communications hissed at her.

_**The sky was their home and their mother. The sun was their father. The clouds were their siblings and the stars their companions. And the moon and wind were their only true commanders.**_

"Beijing, this is Magic, since when do you work Tower communications?" Kaito asked, bumping into the conversation as he flew by Aoko's left window, thankfully right-side up.

"Magic, this is Kitten. She's probably in there because her and Flick got into a fight again last night." Aoko said, admiring Kaito's grace in the air as he executed a barrel-roll in front of her.

"Kitten, Magic, this is Beijing-I mean Towers-, shut your moths if you know what's good for you. It was that слабоумный's fault anyways!"

"Beijing, this is Kick, didn't we decide that using foreign languages over the communication's network was a violation of code?" another voice slid into the conversation.

"Kick, this is Beijing, what is you ETA to base?" The Tower comm. buzzed.

"Beijing, this is Kick, approximately 4 hours, 25 minutes, and counting." He responded.

"Kick, this is Tower, if you're that far away, stay out of this conversation. Over. Kitten, you're clear for landing, pull into Hangar 4. Magic, if you're landing, wait for clearance and head for Hangar 3."

_**Every morning they rose and went to the same place, all of them still in pajamas and they regarded each other through sleep-laden eyes, always surprised to see others there where they were.**_

"Roger that, Tower." Kaito and Aoko said at the same moment and then laughed as Aoko pulled out of her circling and descended.

"Magic, this is Tower, you're clear." Kaito swooped down on to the runway gracefully, pulling into his assigned hangar with ease.

"Hey Kaito!" called a voice and he saw Aoko running towards him, pilot gear still on and helmet under one arm. As she reached him, she slugged him once in the arm before leaning up for a kiss.

"Wow, what'd I do?" Kaito grinned as she pulled away.

"It's what you will do. I want Heiji to make up with Kazuha soon and I want you to convince him. I'll make it worth your while." Aoko promised and Kaito grinned, plans already running through his mind.

"I think I can manage it. Why the interest?" Kaito asked.

"I like Hakuba better on Tower communication, more snark, less snarl." Aoko commented. "Also, did Ran go with Shinichi or did I dream that?"

_**And, on some command none of them knew, they spread out along the length on the runway, their eyes towards the sunrise, glorious in her ascent. And then.....**_

"She went, why do you think Shinichi took the passenger jet? Dating a civi, only him, you know?" Kaito said good-naturedly, laughing.

"I don't know, I think I'd still be interested in you, even if you weren't the hottest thing in the air." Aoko said huskily.

"I don't know, what about that 'Kid' person who keeps taking out our targets?" Kaito said off handedly, grinning to himself.

"He isn't hot and I'm blasting him out of the air next time I see him." Aoko recited automatically, her face darkening but her eyes alighting at the promise of seeing the white jet go down in flames.

"Sure, sure." Kaito said easily, deciding to go on the next mission as himself when he saw the look in her eyes. "So, you up for lunch?"

"I'd be delighted."

_**Then they stretched their arms out, fingers reaching towards the heavens, their entire bodies stretching and flexing in a salute to the sky, praising it as the rejoiced in the simple joy of being alive.**_


	2. Civi

"Ran!" came a shout from behind her and she turned, eyes lighting up at the sight of Shinichi walking towards her, features sharp in his formal uniform.

"Well, it's not a suit, but it'll do." Ran commented, one hand on his medals. She pulled him down for a kiss and he smiled goofily at her.

"I like your dress. Red's a good color on you." Shinichi said and Ran blushed, much to his amusement. "I've got our tickets, everyone else is waiting inside. Just a warning though, Heiji and Kazuha are having another fight."

Ran sighed as Shinichi took her arm. "When are they going to admit they like each other and stop this? I mean, if Kaito and Aoko can admit it then they should have no problem!"

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Shinichi laughed.

"Oh, here comes the civi!" someone exclaimed loudly across the room and Ran turned, not surprised to see Kaito there, grinning at the mock insult with one arm slung around Aoko, who looked at him in amusement.

"Shut up, Kaito. If you upset my date, I'll be forced to hurt you." Shinichi said friendly and Kaito laughed, a familiar sound. Kaito was always laughing, pleased with the world and full of joy for life. Ran could see the appeal in someone who was so happy. But she loved her broody man just as well.

"Kaito couldn't shut up to save his life. Neither can Kid, what a strange coincidence." Came an accented voice and Hakuba appeared, Akako hanging off his arm. She was scantily clad in a black dress and smirked at the other females.

"Poor pilots, having to wear your uniforms to something like this." She said and Kazuha glared at her heatedly. Aoko smiled to herself, long use to the toothless barbs.

"Not all of us can be technical support, Akako. And we do get to change out of our uniforms in a minute. Someone rather high up on the food chain," she gave Hakuba a pointed look, "convinced High Command that it was unfair for the ladies to have to be stuck in uniform while others got to go all out with dresses and such. So we get to cut out after everyone arrives and change into our dresses. Ran, you'll come and help us, won't you? Akako too?"

Aoko turned the full force of her Puppy Dog Look on to the two other women and they agreed, much to Kaito's continued amusement.

"Where's Heiji?" Ran inquired, seemingly innocently and Kazuha immediately scowled.

"I don't know and I don't care. He can go stick his head in a blender, for all of I care, which is none at all so we should just stop talking about the stupid krimzee." Kazuha said heatedly and Shinichi gave Ran 'Told you so' type of look.

"Well, that was a creative way to put it!" Kaito said, jumping back into the conversation with a characteristic smile. "I think the last person just came in, don't you ladies have somewhere to be?"

"Yes!" Aoko exclaimed, grabbing Kazuha by the wrist and looking at Ran and Akako. "Yes, we're going to go get dressed now and you men better wait for us like good lap-dogs."

Amidst giggles, she dragged them off. Shinichi gave Kaito a withering sort of look. "Lap-dogs? That was unnecessary."

Kaito laughed and slung an arm around his cousin's shoulders. "But true! You're so whipped, Shinichi! Also, how about a little wager, just to make our time more interesting?"

Shinichi gave him another look. "I'm not stupid enough to bet against you, hit up some other poor sucker."

"Right, Hakuba then!" Kaito said, removing his arm from around his doppelganger's shoulder and Hakuba scowled.

"Of course, I'm the poor sucker. What is it, Kaito, then I'll make up my mind."

"I bet," Kaito started, "that Kazuha's dress turns out to be nearly exactly the same shade as Heiji's eyes."

Hakuba paused for a moment. "I'll accept, but only if you take my bet too. I bet that Aoko's dress is the same dark blue color you've been complimenting on her for the past month."

"But I've already seen that dress and it is. We christened it last night." Kaito waggled his eyebrows and behind him came a choking sound.

"Geez, Kaito, too much information!" Heiji's voice said and Kaito laughed.

"So, you finally decided to show up! Ready to make up with the lovely lady yet?" Kaito said, throwing his arm around Heiji's shoulders and Heiji pushed him away.

"I ain't makin' up with that girl. She's crazy and homicidal. Don' know why I ever hanged out with her in the first place!" Heiji said.

"Sure, you say that now. But you'll be casually bickering with her again by the end of the night." Shinichi said, grinned unrepentantly.

"The only reason I might even consider makin' up with her is because I can' go flyin' without her. But I ain't that desperate yet."

"So he says." Hakuba remarked and Kaito, predictably, laughed.

"But the night is still young! Yes, the night is still very, very young!"

* * *

**So you guys are persistent, okay?** **There might be more later, I haven't decided, but keep in mind, these stand alone! They just happen to follow the same premises! I can quit any time I want to! Just you wait and see! No, really! I mean it! I totally do!**


	3. Edge

"I want to fly."

Heiji turned around, shocked to hear the familiar voice behind him. Kazuha didn't look at him, arms crossed over her chest and he glaze planted squarely on her jet.

"I'm sorry, what?" Heiji said and she turned to look at him again.

"I want to _fly _again, Heiji. And that means making up with you. So....there." she said and Heiji laughed.

"That's it?" No way. No way!" he laughed harder. "This is going to be very enjoyable. No, Kazuha, I'm not going up with you."

"But that's not fair!" Kazuha said and Heiji laughed again.

"Fair? You've been ignoring me for over two weeks! If you want to fly, you've got to go up with me, and I don't want to go up with you. Especially not with some half-assed apology like that!" Heiji said, looking far too amused.

"It's not like the fight wasn't your fault to begin with!" Kazuha said heatedly.

"Yeah, well, I tried to apologize, what, a day later? And you know what you said Kazuha? I'm sure you can remember, you said no! So I'm just going to wait real patiently while you go crazy from sky hunger and then, when you look like you're about to go off the deep end, maybe I'll agree to go up with you." Heiji said, anger creeping into his voice and with that he turned and walked away.

Kazuha stood frozen to the spot. This was all wrong. This isn't how their arguments were supposed to go. When she apologized, he was supposed to forgive her! But, then again, she'd changed the rules denying him earlier this week....

"That isn't fair." Kazuha said to the empty hangar. "I want to _fly_."

She crawled up on to her jet and sat on one wing gingerly, not wanting to scuff it up. She'd made sure to keep it in perfect condition despite its current lack of use. No one can go flying without their wingmate; that was the rule.

It continued on for over a month. Heiji refused to hear the pleads of his partner, despite how desperate she got. She looked worse and worse over the amount of time she was kept grounded. Rings began to develop under her eyes.

"Heiji, can't you just go up with her for just a minute?" Aoko begged one day, eying Kazuha, who sat atop her jet, tracing the wings carefully.

"Aoko, you probably can' understand this because you and Kaito don' fight like we do. And when you make up, you actually mean it. Me an' Kazuha make up because we have to, we don' mean it, we both think we're right, after all. I ain't takin' her up until I'm actually sure she wants me as her wingmate at all. I don' wanna be partnered with someone who only hangs around because I can fly good an' all. I want a wingmate I actually can trust." Heiji said.

Aoko frowned. "You two are best friends, aren't you? She's practically withering away!"

"Don' you think I know that, you silly girl? But we have to get this straightened out. I'm tired of fightin' all the time." Heiji glared at her. Aoko glared back just as fiercely.

"You're so stupid! This isn't just about flying, though anyone could tell you that someone needs to take her up. If it were just about flying, she would've asked Shinichi and Shiho to let her ride in the passenger jet. Didn't you think of that?"

"Look, Aoko, I respect you an' all, but this is between me an' my wingmate, it don' involve you, so just back off. I know what I'm doin'" Heiji said, finally turning the full force of his sour expression on her. Aoko backed off at the sight of it and Kaito suddenly materialized behind her.

"Hey, Aoko, let's go do something way over there on the other side of the room." He said, taking her by the shoulders and leading her away. She glanced behind her in time to see Heiji turn back and set his gaze on his partner, something both sad and fond written across his face.

The next morning, Kazuha did not show up to stretch with everyone.

It was not a formal activity, their salute to the sky, nor was it something that no one ever skipped. But it was an unspoken rule, missing it constituted a visit from someone, because it generally meant something was wrong. The sky was their home and the nearly ritualistic way they greeted first light was not something they took lightly.

And when Heiji went to check, Kazuha was not in her room.

She was not in the hangar.

She was not inside or on top of her jet.

She was not in Aoko's room. Or Shiho's. Or Shinichi's. Or Satou's, Akako's, Hakuba's, Takagi's. She was not in Heiji's room.

Nor the lunchroom or gym.

A call confirmed she was not in Ran's apartment either.

Heiji was worried.

He paced the tarmac with a restless energy, wondering where his recently depressed wingmate had gone. Then he looked up.

A figure stood on the edge of the roof and it's hair was silhouetted against the rising sun in a familiar ponytail.

Heiji ran up to the roof in record time, flinging open the doorway to find his partner standing on the edge, looking up into the sky with a nearly serene expression on her face.

"Say, Heiji, if I jump, I'll be flying before I hit the bottom, won't I?" she said, her voice deceivingly calm.

"No, you'll be falling. Come over here, Kazuha." Heiji said, forcing himself not to sound panicked.

"You can't see as well from over there. You come over here." She said and tilted her head up. A breeze danced over her upturned cheeks. She reached behind her and pulled her ribbon free, letting her brown hair cascade down her back. She rocked back and forth on the heels of her feet and Heiji watched fretfully, hoping she would not lose her balance in such a precarious position.

"Okay." He said and moved towards her a steady rate. Finally, he stood beside her, less than an arm's length away. If she jumped, he would grab her.

"I didn't really think our fight was that important to you." Kazuha said softly after nearly ten minutes of silence, peaceful on her part but wrought with tension on his.

"It wasn't the fight that was important. I don' even remember what it was about. It just occurred to me, when you changed the rules, that we fought more than anyone else. And I thought maybe we weren' good partners for each other. Maybe we're both too hardheaded to work together. That's what I thought. So I thought I'd see what you'd do. I didn' think it would come to this. And as much as I want to say that if you had come to me and told me you were thinkin' of jumpin', of all things, that I would've given in, I think I can say that I would've thought is was a trick and would've said no again."

Kazuha sighed and sat down on the edge of the roof. Heiji followed her example and waited while she swung her legs back and forth. Her eyes stayed on her shoes. "I know. That's why I didn't try. Its not just about flying, you know? But flying is important. 'The sky is our home', isn't that what Kaito said? It feels like I've been away from home for much too long. Why do we fight more than everyone else, Heiji? Is it just because we aren't a couple? But Shiho and Shinichi are just friends too. Sarcastic, dry humor, friends. So why then?"

"I don' know. Sexual tension?" Heiji said and Kazuha's head shot up, eyes wide. "Oh, don' tell me you haven' noticed. You're not that dense."

"Well, yes, but I just didn't think you'd noticed. Didn't think you'd say anything if you had either." Kazuha said.

"I noticed, I just wasn' really sure what acknowledgin' it would mean. Does it mean we have to be datin' or somethin'? Or would it mean we would be 'really good friends'? I don' really think I want to go down that road with ya, 'Zuha. In my experience, 'really good friends' don' stay that way long." Heiji said, turning to face her fully.

"Well," Kazuha turned to look at him as well. "if you don't want to do that but you don't want to just leave things like they are, then what, Heiji? Because I'd rather jump than go at it like this again. I'm not cut out for mushy heart-to-hearts and neither are you."

Heiji snorted. "Got that right. I never said no to the dating idea. We could always try it out. It's up to you where we go from here. As long as," Heiji reached out as fast as a snake and grabbed her arm in a iron grip, "you stay on top of the building. Because, personally, I'd rather have heart-to-hearts than scrap you're gooey remains off the tarmac. Not to mention what they would look like if someone had to land and rolled over ya."

Kazuha winced. "Ow, Heiji, loosen up."

Heiji grinned and tightened his grip marginally. "Move away from the edge and I'll think about it."

Kazuha hissed but scooted back from the edge, not able to stand up due to the hand around her arm. "There, now let go."

His grip on her arm eased up, but he didn't let go. "I'm not lettin' go until I get an answer."

Kazuha paused and Heiji's grip shifted down some Kazuha was sure she was going to have a bruise where he'd grabbed her. He probably knew that too, and move because of it. She wouldn't put it pass him, he showed he cared in odd, odd ways.

"I guess," Kazuha started, "that if we can't just keep things the way they were, then we could _try _the dating thing. But I don't want it to be like...like..."

Heiji noted her struggle with words. "All gooey and romantic like Shinichi and Ran or all carefully concerned and equally gooey and suggestive like Aoko and Kaito?"

Kazuha nodded empathetically. "Yes, exactly. Just like normal almost but...not. Like we could be nicer to each other and do couple things without trying to disguise the couple-likeness of it. Half our fights start like that anyways."

"So, we're datin' then?" Heiji said, releasing his hold on her arm as promised.

"Apparently." Kazuha said, taking the opportunity to rub the abused bicep.

"That was....oddly anti-climatic." Heiji commented, standing and helping his partner, and newly acquired girlfriend, to her feet as well.

"Eh, I'd prefer it over how Kaito and Aoko finally got together. I mean, I guess having a purple plane was sort of fun, but all the calls about alien sightings weren't." Kazuha said as they started towards the door."

"We should feel lucky. At least blue left me with some dignity left. Poor Shinichi's ended up being red, white, and blue." Heiji said.

"He's the most patriotic of us all." Kazuha said, snickering.

"Yep....so...." Heiji said and Kazuha looked at him with a strange gleam in her eyes.

"I want to fly." She said, quoting herself with deliberate intention.

Heiji nodded. "Okay, let's."

* * *

**This might very well be the last one. But, since I'm feeling decidedly undelusional, that might change. It kind of just depends but I'm glad I've resolved this at least. Attention folks, we have HK, you knew it was coming eventually.**


	4. Arrival

War was upon them.

Newspapers flashed bold print and air raid sirens wailed and duck-and-cover became the elementary school motto.

The date was December 24, the time: 11:58 pm. Merry Christmas.

The airbase was new and the concrete still cracking when the first of them came. The two aces of the sky, for now anyways. They held hands and swung them back and forth like children as they crossed the tarmac.

"Miwako, do you think our team is really going to be up to this? I hear they're all fresh out of training..."

"It doesn't matter, Wataru. They'll be our team, it'll be enough. We'll watch each other's backs and we'll all be fine, you'll see."

Less than a month later, three more showed up, bundled against the cold, only two sets of ice blue eyes visible and one slightly darker shade in the middle. Two boys and a girl, wearing jackets and their laughter could be heard for what seemed like miles in the cold.

"I bet you make captain in no time, Kaito."

"No way, Aoko, they'll pick you because you're more responsible and you control him. Two birds with one stone."

"Hey, that was mean, Shinichi, she doesn't control me! What happened to family loyalty?"

"That died when you blamed me for painting our commander silver while he was asleep."

"Are you really still upset about that? It was funny! And anyways, silver is the color of a true leader!"

"Can we go inside already, you dorks? I'm freezing and just standing in between you two isn't really cutting it."

"But we're so sexy! Don't you just heat up from being in our presence? Look, you're blushing!"

"Well I am now!"

The fourth came on a rain, blistery day, walking slowly across the tarmac even though she had no umbrella or hood. Someone watched from the entrance and disappeared into the building reappearing with an umbrella in hand.

"I think you're supposed to be my partner."

"No, I'm just here because I like the rain."

"We're going to get along well, aren't we?"

"Depends, you got a problem with sarcasm?"

"Do you have a problem with lots of dry humor?"

"Oh, I like you already."

"I have that effect on people."

"Full of yourself, aren't you?"

"And you aren't? I can tell just by looking at you."

"My name's Shiho. Prepare to find yourself sorely lacking in the IQ department."

"Shinichi. And I'm so scared already."

"Then we have an understanding."

The fifth rode to base in a motorcycle that was impounded upon arrival. His dark skin glistened in the mist of the airbase as he strode into the hangar, cocky grin well in place.

"You had to have known that was illegal."

"Maybe. But what would be the fun in doin' what you're told all th' time?"

"I think me and you are going to get along. But just one warning for you."

"Cain't say I'll listen but go ahead."

"See that girl over there? The dark headed one? She's mine, got it?"

"Sure, sure. What about the blonde?"

"Take it up with Shinichi, he's over there. I, for one, wouldn't touch that relationship with a fifty foot pole."

"So they together or what?"

"I'm not touching it! Not touching it!"

The sixth and seventh didn't show up together on purpose, merely happened to enter together through circumstance. The girl was followed by a black cat that wove in between her legs so smoothly that she didn't trip even once.

"Ma'am, you realize they said no pets on base. I even had to leave my pet hawk at home they were so strict about it."

"I didn't bring him, he followed me. This is Lucifer and they'll never catch him."

"...Right. Another nutty pilot, just what I need."

"Pilot! You insult me. I'm tech support. I have no desire to be trapped in a little flying pod for hours on in."

"How nice, I'm the support director. Looks like we'll be seeing more of each other, Ms....?"

"Akako. Don't forget it. Saguru, right?"

"How'd you know that?"

"Officially, I hacked the duty roster. But in reality, Lucifer told me."

"I thought only pilots were insane."

"You'd be correct."

The last of them showed up rather unorthodoxly in that she was never meant to show up at all. She sat on the side of the road that led to the base in full view of the camera, a brown ushanka on her head and a suitcase on the ground next to her. She clutched a pair of flight goggles in one hand. The guards had yet to arrive though and so it was a long time before anyone noticed her presence.

"Hey! Hey, what you doin' out here? Don'cha know you'll get pneumonia?"

"I am doing the waiting."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I am meaning.... Urgh, I mean, I am waiting for someone to notice me."

"What kind of accent is that? And what's that on your head?"

"Doesn't matter. Snow hat, is warm."

"Look's like it. So what are ya waitin' for, 'xactly?"

"The guards. I am doing the trying to enlist in army. I can fly."

"You're going to need to work on that accent, I can barely understand ya."

"I am knowing, I mean, I know. I'm working on it. I must enlist in army. Are you a guard?"

"Nope, back up pilot. I'm here in case someone gets shot down."

"I could be doing.....I could do that."

"That was better, nearly didn't hear it at all."

"Don't lie. I can pass any flight tests you give me. Please, I just want to be useful again."

"Generally, to enlist you have to get recruited and then go through training and such. Or did ya not know that?"

"I am not being....Am not doing the....urgh. I am not a citizen. And war is being-is- happening! You Americans need pilots. Our people are wrong! You are needing my help! And I have information, not much, but some!"

"Wait, are you trying to say...."

"I brought my own plane. Is hidden. I am good. You will help me?"

"...I'll make a deal with you. I'll take you to my commanding officer. If she says its okay, we can forge some papers for you, because we really do need fliers. If not, we can let you go, this base isn't really a secret, ya know?"

"I am in your debt, sir!"

"Yeah, yeah. What's your name, girl?"

"My name? It is being...It is Kazuha."

"You really have to work on that. Name's Heiji. Welcome to Airbase 4."

* * *

**So, the muses have decided Kazuha is Russian. Anyone who rereads will notice that where she said ahou in the first chapter it has been replaced by a Russian word that my handy dandy online dictionary claims is Russian for idiot also, apparently we're at war against the Russians and the Chinese, I think.**

**KIRBY: I think this is insanity, that's what I think!**

**You were out-voted, Kirby, get over it. Kazuha's Russian, end of story.**

**KIRBY: I wish you'd never gotten that hat!**

**Take that back!  
**


	5. Waiting

"_But, Father, what if we are wrong? My American friends, they do not seem evil." She called after him and he turned and kneeled in front of her._

"_Russia is our home, no matter anything else." He said to her and placed the fur hat snugly over her ears. _

"_But Father!" she whined._

"_Hush. I'm leaving today and I will be back in a couple of months. They want me to train the new pilots before they attack the Americans. So I will go and train them and then come back to you. Be good for Grandmother."_

_And then he walks away. He doesn't come back. She joins the army herself and learns to fly. When she's in the air, she feels as though she knows her father a bit better and she still wears the worn ushanka for luck._

_But as time goes on she knows that this is wrong, that just because this is war doesn't mean anything because why is there war at all? Why couldn't we have tried harder to be peaceful? Why couldn't we have just hated them from afar? Is hate worth lost lives? She doesn't think so and as she guns down enemy planes she hopes they manage to survive the crash. It's then she knows that she doesn't belong here anymore. _

_So requests permission to go for a flight and charts her course carefully, letting it brush the edge of the radar several times so she will have plenty of chances to escape. Her flight plan is approved with a glance from her commander and then she is off, screaming away from the base and into enemy territory, cloaking device on the highest setting and sweating bullets at her treachery. _

"So ya see, Satou, I think she just had some morale problems, because we didn' start this war, right? She's just a girl, younger than me even! Let her in, we need more pilots and she's got her own plane, she says." Heiji cajoled as Satou closed the door behind them. Kazuha sat in a chair just outside the commander's office, a tanned man in uniform watching her curiously.

She tugged at the sides of her hat and fiddled with the lenses of her flight goggles, wiping the finger prints off them carefully.

"Those are some interesting goggles you've got there." The man tried and she looked up at him with startled eyes.

"They were being....These are the....They were my great-grandfather's goggles. I am being sorry about my accent, I am working on it." She tried, giving up on the last sentence.

He smiled and sat down across from her and she liked him, he had a kind face. "You seem to know when you make mistakes, its just habit. The more you talk, the better you'll get. Let's keep talking."

"What are we doing the talking about?" he gave her a look and she tried again. "What should we talk about?"

He nodded at her. "How about you? How'd you end up at the gate this morning?"

"I was doing....I was trying to find....safety? Safety from Russian government, will be wanting plane and me. I wish to be useful for good, not evil."

"So let me get this straight. You were a Russian pilot, figured out they were the bad guys and switched sides?" he asked and she nodded vigorously.

"We were being, I mean, we were all pawns, like in chess. Okay to be sacrificing. It was not right! Not about honor or pride! Just victory and the winning! Is this not wrong? People are being more important than that!"

"Well, we're making a little progress, I suppose." He mumbled to himself. "So, what do you expect to do here, then? We're pawns too, in the grand scheme of things. The big guys hand down orders and we do them."

She tugged at her hat again, adjusting it carefully. "It is...different? Here, in America, you could say no. They would be being-would be angry, but would give assignment to others. Not there. If you are being unwilling to have possible death in combat, you will be having for sure death at camp, the other pilots would be doing it. Or worse. Suicide runs, they were being popular. They disguise mission as being safe but it is not."

He winced. "Well, I think you made the right choice, though I wish you would've run by Ellis Island first. But they're closed to the East right now, aren't they?"

Kazuha sighed and held out her hands palms up. "This is war."

"Wataru." Said a female voice from behind Kazuha and she jumped, shrinking away from the imposing woman standing behind her. The tan man grinned.

"Yes, Satou, ma'am?" he said and Kazuha thought he said it almost teasingly.

She glared. "Get in here. I need your report, now. Heiji, come keep her company."

The boy from the gate emerged from the office and sat down beside her as her current companion smiled at her and got up. He and the commander woman walked into the office and shut the door.

"I sure hope you were bein' friendly-like with Takagi just now." He told her and she looked at him.

"Why?"

"He's Satou's wingmate, the one person she trusts without exception and he also functions as our crew's psychologist. If he's impressed, then you'll get to stay. If he's not, then you'd have a reason for keeping that hat on." Heiji told her as he sprawled out over the chair he was in, grinning at her.

"I am wearing hat for reason! Was my father's!" she told him huffily and he laughed.

"I'm sorry, it's so hard to take ya seriously with that accent, you really have-."

"-have to work on it, I am knowing. You repeat yourself many times already." She finished for him, interrupting and his grin widen impossibly.

"Oh, I like you. Me an' you are goin' to get along real well, I'd say."

"Are we not doing the getting along now?" she questioned and he shook his head. "Nah, we're cool. Just sayin', is all."

The door to the office flew open and Takagi ducked out of it looking somewhere between chastened and amused.

"Fine. Fine! You, Kazuha, right? You're on, but if you rat me out I will put the fear of whoever you worship in you, got it? Heiji take her to get gear. Takagi, you are coming with me to convince Shiho to stop messing with that cassette player of hers and hack some government databases for us and you get to explain why too! You're all just out to ruin me for life, aren't you?" Satou exclaimed, waving her hands wildly in the air before stomping off.

"We had a date tonight. Also, Heiji, you found her, she's your wingmate now. Prepare to see the frontlines." Takagi informed them before racing off after Satou with a charming smile in place.

"Well, if I'd known they'd had something planned I would've just hid you out for a night. Would've made this much easier." Heiji mumbled before standing up and offering her a hand. "Well you heard them! Let's go scrap up some pilot's garb for you, partner, you're gonna need it!"

* * *

**So, guess what everyone? I've been doing something silly with this story to amuse myself and now it's time to see if anyone has caught on! I'm sure most of you by now have heard about my strange new relationship with Transformers fandom. (it was an accident, okay?) Well, to be perfectly honest, this entire story was spawned from my obsession with the Seekers, or Decepticon jets.**

**The thing is, though, in every chapter except the first one, I (sometimes unknowingly until I looked back and saw it) included some obscure Transformers reference. So, my challenge to ya'll is this, Spot the Reference. Some are easy (Chapter 3), some are very obscure (Chapter 2) and some are just about average (Chapter 4). Either way, have fun! First person to identify them all correctly can request something, if they like, or can just be amused together with me. **

**Hint: So far, all the references have been made wih the Decepticons in mind. Make of that what you will.  
**


	6. Courting

Originally, Aoko found herself being followed by not one, but two of the recruits undergoing flight-training with her.

At first she had thought they were twins, they looked so alike. One was serious, intelligent, and prone to fits of dry humor. The other was light, happy, and always had something up his sleeve that could make you laugh. The two of them followed her like lost puppies, offering to carry her things or get things for her and generally using whatever excuse they could to spend time in presence.

And she was sick of it.

If it had just been one of them, it would've been sweet, but both of them? She barely had a minute to herself anymore! It was time to put an end to this.

"Kaito?" she said one day and he stood at attention immediately. Aoko chewed on her lip and tried to look nervous, which really wasn't so hard. "Could you meet me behind the barracks after the seminar today? I have something I want to tell you."

He lit up, obviously thinking he knew what was coming. "Of course, Aoko!"

She repeated the same procedure with Shinichi and after the seminar, trotted out behind the barracks to find both of them waiting there and going at each other's throats.

"You're _lying_, Kudo, she asked _me_ out here at lunch so just _go away_." Kaito hissed at his look alike.

"Well asked _me _out here after Basic Training, so why do _you _just go away?" Shinichi bickered back.

Aoko cleared her throat and they turned to look at her.

"Aoko, can you please tell this idiot-."

"-kindly inform him you asked-"

"-I was the one who was supposed to-"

"-just tell him to buzz off-"

"_Quiet!"_ Aoko yelled and they look at her, unused to her fits of temper. She'd been remarkably well behaved before, but this was the final straw.

"It was flattering before but it's gotten _way _out of control! So, right now, which one of you is going to keep trying to ask me out and which one is going to _back the hell off?_"

They blinked at her in perfect tandem. She breathed heavily, face red, and glared.

"Well, cousin, your verdict?" Kaito asked at length.

Shinichi eyed her and then eyed his cousin. "You know what? I think you were made for each other. Have fun, Kaito. Aoko." He inclined his head at her and walked off.

"So..." Kaito said, edging up next to her and grinning. "Want to do something this weekend?"

Aoko smiled. "Sure. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I need to get revenge on Shinichi for that trick with the handcuffs, so I was thinking we could sneak behind him on the stairs and push him down them....." Kaito started and Aoko grinned. She could definitely live with this.

* * *

**Why do I get the feeling that this is the one that will make the fangirls descend? Don't forget the challenge, everyone! No takers? Aww, but it would've been so amusing!**


	7. Door

"Shiho, want to go flying?" A voice called from the other side of her door and Shiho looked up, hands pausing in their carefully work.

"Not right now, Ace." She called and she heard feet shuffling outside the door.

"But later, right? You'll go up with me? We could run that new drill...." the voice trailed of hesitantly.

"Grow some backbone, Shinichi." She said back, irritated, and a quiet thump was heard.

He huffed in the silence. "You're avoiding me, aren't you? You hate me now and we're never going to fly again. That's it, isn't it."

Shiho sighed. He was so melodramatic, that one was. "Stop being a drama queen. I've been busy. It's not like you haven't been plenty entertained. How's Ran?"

"I'm _not _a drama queen! You're just putting this off, I know you are! Stop messing with that stupid blue cassette player and come out here and talk to me! As for Ran, she's worried about you. Says she never would've accepted my offer if she'd know that something like this was involved." Shinichi said from behind the door, sounding almost whiny. Shiho stifled a laugh at the mental image of him pouting.

"Yes, you are and no, I'm not. Look, Ace, me and you? We weren't ever anything. There is no 'this' involved. You're all worrying over nothing. And you take that _back _about my cassette player. I mean it." Shiho said, practically hissing the last bit. Shinichi sighed, he'd gone too far mentioning that.

"Sorry, sorry, I should know better, its just....How can you say there wasn't anything? I mean, nothing officially or anything but....Well, I always thought it meant more to you, at least, than that." Shinichi said remorsefully. He didn't like Shiho like that, but at times, he had thought that maybe.....

Shiho felt her expression soften and she could hear it in her voice when she spoke again. "It did, okay? But I'm not a little girl. And I've moved on. You're happy, aren't you? Stop trying to ruin it for yourself. Ran is a good girl for you. And I'm happy too. I don't _do _relationships, okay? No matter what you did or said, there never was going to be anything. Stop trying to make yourself feel guilty. Promise?"

There was silence from outside and the shuffling of feet. Shiho sighed again. "Look, I'll go up with you later and you can prattle on all you want then, okay? I was trying to fix the cassette door on this thing, its been sticking..."

Shinichi chuckled. "It's always something. Why don't you get a MP3 player and be done with it?"

She growled at him half-heartedly. "You know better than to ask stupid questions."

"You should know better than to keep a cassette player, but that hasn't stopped you." He ribbed right back and laughed outright as she cursed at him through the door.

"Go make out with your civi in a corner somewhere, Ace. I'll find you later. If the sun starts going down, you know where to find me." Shiho finally snapped back.

"Fine, fine. I think Ran and Kazuha are having a Girl Moment right now, sure you don't want to join them?" He just couldn't resist.

"Are you sure you don't?" She retorted. She couldn't resist either.

"Okay, I get it, I'll leave." She heard his footsteps echo as he walked away.

Her fingers returned to their busy work, fingertips diving into seams and tightening and loosening screws as she worked at the closing mechanism.

But she did so with a smile.

* * *

**What's this I spy? Could it possibly be? Underlying Shiho/Shinichi romance? My gosh, where has my brain gone? But no, Shinichi is firmly staying with Ran. But if jun-chan were reading this, she would have come apart for sure, wouldn't she? Imagining her reaction is priceless. No one's heard anything from her lately, have they? It's been, like, months. But yes, contest is still on going, but I don't think I'm getting any takers. **

**Also, anyone who wants to be a sounding board, feel free to ask for spoilers, though I will say, nothing's set in stone AND getting even one reference would raise your chances of actually getting to hear anything fun. ^^ No, I'm not above bribery, why do you ask?  
**


	8. Stir

It's a cold morning, when she shows up for the first time.

The sun was starting to rise, slowly, and Shiho's fingers were already reaching for the sky instinctively, curling backwards at the tips as Shinichi watched her, his own body flexing towards the heavens.

"Hello!" came the voice from beyond the gate and those on the tarmac paused to see a young woman standing behind the fence, bundled in a long trench coat and a patterned scarf.

Silently, the pilots on the tarmac regarded her. She smiled disarmingly and, still just as silently, they elected Shinichi to go talk with her as they continued to reach for the unobtainable. Bitterly, Shinichi went, though he wish he could've stayed back there and let the sun warm him in his quest to get higher still.

"Miss, this is government property, you can't be here, even if you are outside the gate." He told her wearily and she smiled at him, not looking the least concerned.

"I'll leave, just as soon as I'm done, okay? One of you left your wallets at my family's bar last night. I'm just returning it." She maneuvered the leather wallet through a diamond in the fence and Shinichi opened it, groaning at the face that smiled up at him.

"Heiji, you ass, you forgot your wallet last night!" he yelled back towards the tarmac and the pilots all laughed at Heiji and Shinichi alike.

"Well, I guess I'll be off then, Mister...?"

"Shinichi." He said and then looked back towards his comrades. Shiho sparred him a glance through the glow of the sunlight. "And you?"

She smiled again, broader this time. "Ran. I guess I'll See you later, Mister Shinichi."

She curtsied once and then left, trotting at an unhurried pace and swinging her arms like a child.

He sighed and hurried back without another glance.

_**

* * *

**_

Next time they decided to grace the civis with their presence again, she was there server, dressed in a little light blue dress the all the waitresses were wearing.

"May I take your order?" she asked with smile in his direction. Shinichi smiled back, but again he felt his eyes drift in his wingmate's direction. The blonde paid him no mind as everyone ordered their drinks.

"French Martini." Aoko told what appeared to be her doppelganger.

Kazuha laughed uproariously. "Wimp!" she said, accent nearly gone after only a couple of weeks. Though if she managed to get drunk, quite a feat, then it would return with a vengeance. "Can you make Tucker Max Death Mix?"

Ran laughed. "I don't think I've ever had a woman order that one. I can make it, but you can't tell a soul, got it?"

"Got it." Kazuha grinned and then leered at Heiji. He scowled back at her.

"I'll have what she's having." He ground out and Kazuha laughed again, falling against Shiho with cheerful abandon.

"Kaito, Shinichi, you will help me carry him back to base?" she asked between guffaws and he scowled harder at her.

Finally, Ran made it around to Shinichi. "Samuel Adams Black Lager." he told her and she smiled again.

"So Mister Shinichi, how have you been?" she asked as she took all of the menus from them.

"Good enough. You?" he said.

"I've been just fine. I'll be back in a minute with you're drinks, but feel free to flag me down if anyone needs anything else." She said, smiling at everyone.

Heiji elbowed Shinichi lightly in the ribs. "That waitress sure does seem to like you, Kudo."

Shinichi grunted and turned away.

_**

* * *

**_

"If you like her, just ask her out already, Ace." Shiho said with a condescending look in his direction.

_**

* * *

**_

"Hello, Mister Shinichi! Where are you're friends?" Ran said, bouncing up to is table, the hem of her little blue dress dancing with her.

"They didn't feel much like drinking tonight. So I came alone, I'm not going to get too smashed, though, and Heiji said Kazuha and him will pick me up if I call him and tell him I'm too drunk to get back on my own. Of course, calling him means Kazuha laughing for days about how none of us can stomach any alcohol compared to her. We still laugh about Heiji and the Tucker Max Death Mix Fiasco." Shinichi smiled at her and she laughed.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you guys order that, but she seemed so confident and I've never seen woman out-drink a man by that much!" Ran exclaimed. "The usual, right?"

"Yes, please. Come to base sometime, she out-drinks all of us on a regular basis." Shinichi said.

"You really mean that?" Ran questioned and Shinichi looked down at the table sheepishly.

"Sure, I mean, if you want to."

Ran paused. "I thought that was government property?"

"It is. But it's okay if you're invited." Shinichi smiled up at her hopefully. Third time's the charm and all that. Maybe this girl would say yes....

Ran beamed, the expression lighting up her face. "Sure, I'd love to!"

Shinichi smiled back, his stomach doing back flips. "Then it's a date."

* * *

**So......I've already got the next chapter done......but I really like reviews so, ya'll have to work for it! Nah! And you know what else? We finally get to see the Kid plane in action, only for a litte bit though! Are ya'll excited yet? It was exciting to write. I'm not really sure I like this one, the relationship building it seems...off. I don't know. **

**Speaking of relationships, anyone want to help me out? I feel bad leaving Shiho out of the loop, I mean, she says she doesn't _do _relationships but...So, poll time, I'm just going to do it here instead of going to the trouble of putting it on my profile. **

**Would you rather see...**

**A) Shiho/Eisuke (the nature of it would be mutually using each other as substitutes for the people they'd rather be with and have real affection develop along the way)**

**B) Shiho/Mitsuiko (I'll make him older, don't worry, no pedos in these parts!)**

**C) Shiho/Some Random Third Character (be specific! I'm not a mind reader!)**

**D) Shiho by herself, she's happier that way (according to her, anyways. apparently, boys are just trouble, I can't say I disagree)**

**VOTE! _NOOOOOOWWW!!!!!_ *exPLOsion* Also, *BOOM*  
**


	9. Fight

"_Teddy, this is Sully, bank hard!"_ Satou shouted into her headpiece and off her winptip Takagi followed the order as a white jet screamed past them.

"_Sully, this is Kitten, Magic is down, I repeat, Magic is down!" _Aoko said, looking towards the skyline where her partner disappeared.

"_How very convenient for him!"_ Hakuba screamed and the white jet soared above them all, taking out enemy jets and heading straight towards the target, bomb hatch doors retracting.

"_Kick, this is Sully, I want you to head Kid off! Erosion, this is Sully, cover Kick."_ Satou screamed and enemy planes dove at her, cursing she turned sharply and fired upon them_. "Teddy, why aren't you covering me?!" _

"_Sully, a bit busy!"_ he said and she turn to see him jet screaming away, two enemies planes on his tail.

"Shit!" she said and fired at them. One went down in flames and another jet whipped in a finished the other off.

"_Sully, this is Beijing, I got him in the engine!"_ the pony tailed girl reported as she flew back to her position at Heiji's wingtip.

"_Tower, this is Sully, what are Kid and Kick's positions_?" Satou said as she flew closer to the enemy base. Distraction was their job until she knew what was happening near their target.

"_Sully, this is Tower, Kid is on top of the target and Kick is .07 miles behind him and closing in! Kid has just dropped bombs that are registering as our own weapon grade over the target. All teams awaiting order! Magic has reported in that he can fly with escort!"_ Hakuba said in a crisp tone.

"_All units! This is Sully, fall back, fall back! Kick, get out of there and don't waste any bullets on that maniac!"_ Satou commanded and the jets turned and began fleeing, the points clawing through the enemy's fighters and their wingmates covering the sides as they did. Aoko flew a course on Satou's close left as they'd all been trained to do when lacking a wingmate.

Five miles out, they picked up a beacon identified as Magic's. _"Kitten, this is Sully, radio Magic and tell him that you'll be acting as his escort. Keep the conversation short, we'll find out the nature of his disappearance on arrive. Air waves are to stay clear."_

"_Sully, this is Kitten, I read you!"_ Aoko responded.

"_All units, this is Sully, I will repeat for those of you that are not eavesdroppers, __**Flick**__," _Heiji's nosecone dipped slightly in surprise, _"all units stay off the comms unless a situation arises."_

Magic's plane flew into view suddenly, fuselage charred and one engine smoking. He settled in at point to Aoko instead of taking his normal position off her wingtip. Satou fired off another curse at the damage.

"_All units, this is Sully, status report! Squadron Commander, start_!" She hissed into the headpiece, deciding to belay the order for radio silence until she knew the condition of her team.

"_Sully, this is Squadron Commander Kitten, falling in for status report. One flap is sticking, left side, otherwise, no damage."_ Aoko reported.

"_Sully, this is Magic, falling in for status report. Light battery across fuselage from a forty degree angle, no permanent damage. One engine fan running at 74 point 2 efficiency, accounts for smoking, no permanent damage. I can rebuild it myself if necessary. Omega, start!"_

"_Sully, this is Omega Group Commander Kick, falling in for status report. Sensory damage from being to close when Kid dropped his bombs. My compass is also malfunctioning slightly. Permission to let Erosion take point?" _Shinichi asked.

"_Kick, this is Sully, permission granted."_ Satou said. Shinichi and Shiho switched places gracefully from behind Aoko and Kaito's jets.

"_Sully, this is Erosion, falling in for status report. Mild head injury from wearing my headpiece the wrong way and getting tossed around a bit. Type 1 laceration. I'll stick a Band Aid on it when we get back." _

"_Erosion, this is Sully, if that's not a Type 1 when we get back I'm stripping your wings for a week. Also, have Agasa look at your headpiece, if it was uncomfortable enough for you to be wearing to the wrong way, then it needs to be fixed."_ Satou said, her voice sharp.

"_Sully, this is Erosion, it's above my jaw and has already stopped bleeding. Type 1, as I said. Supreme, start!" _Shiho said.

"_Sully, this is Supreme Group Commander Flick, falling in for status report. No damages, other than the kink in my neck from this harness. I'm going to see about getting a custom one when we return to base."_

"_Sully, this is Beijing, falling in for status report. Light battery across fuselage and a non-running, Type 3 crack in my cockpit glass from saving your partner's tailfin. Flight Commander, start!"_

"_Sully, this is Flight Commander Teddy, falling in for status report. My tailfin wasn't entirely saved, they got a couple shots in, it's not cooperating well with me."_ Takagi said ruefully.

"_All units, this is Sully, decrease speed by 2 point 5 clicks and head towards base. And if anyone sees that damn Kid outside of hostile circumstances with enemy forces, feel free to gun him down. If you can hail him on the usual frequencies, though, try to. We don't need crashing planes in the States if we can help it. Maintain radio silence for the remainder of the trip. Tower, have crews standing by to conduct repairs immediately. Sully, out."_

_

* * *

_

**Ah, finally, an Autobot reference. No one is going to see it but it's there! Oh? You don't believe me? No matter! So here we have the much requested combat scene, complete with Kid and Hakuba as Tower. **

**And, on a final note, the results of the poll.**

**Shiho/Eisuke *2 votes***

**Shiho/Mitsuiko *3 votes***

**Shiho/Some Third Person *1 votes* (I think and sincerely hope this one was a joke, but it was Shiho/Araide if anyone wants to know)**

**Shiho by herself, she's happier that way *3 votes* **

**So, we have a tie between B and D, because I let people go ahead and votes more than once. So, seeing this, I'm going to say, polls are still open! Your opinion matters very much to us here at katiesparks and Kirby Productions and Betas Co. so please, feedback it appreciated! Feel free to submit comments and concerns via the button below. *snickers*  
**


	10. Click

Satou frowned down at her subordinate. "Hakuba, I realize that it's your right to have a relationship, everyone else n this Hell-spawned crew has one, but making out in closets is not acceptable behavior, especially for someone of your rank!"

Hakuba managed to look sheepish. "It was, ah, not intentional that we ended up in the closet, ma'am."

Satou sighed and buried her head in her hands. "Why, why? Why did I have to get the crew that just wants in each other's pants?"

Hakuba coughed. "Akako wears skirts, ma'am."

Satou's head thudded against the table. "Just leave." Hakuba stood up. "Wait." He stopped. "Don't do it again. Or at least, don't get caught. Dismissed."

Takagi walked in after Hakuba left, smiling at the irate officer. "Trouble?"

Satou didn't look up. "All my subordinates want to fuck each other."

Takagi snickered. "Don't be too upset, me and you have ended up in our share of strange places."

Satou glared. "Well, it was wrong when we were doing it too!"

"True." Takagi let her have that much. "So, Miwako, got any plans tonight?"

She grinned at him. "I don't know, do I?"

Takagi smiled and leaned against the door jam, pegging her with a look. "Yes, yes you do.

_**

* * *

**_

"So, in trouble?" Akako asked as Hakuba walked into the Tech Department, cheeks still burning.

"Trouble? Not really. But I am mortally embarrassed." Hakuba said, sinking into his chair. Under the consol, Lucifer the cat peered out at him before threading through his legs.

"Must you keep your pet on base?" Hakuba asked for the thousandth time.

"Lucifer is not my pet and it's not my fault he followed me. You're free to try to convince him to leave if you like. I doubt your success, despite your many....._talents_." Akako said, whispering the last part in a seductive manner.

"Do you_ have_ to call him that?" Hakuba questioned wearily, ignoring her innuendo with practiced ease.

"Would you prefer Satan? Devil? Hades? Unicron? Pluto?" Akako said, listing off names and grinning.

"Devourer of Worlds? Haha, I'm nearly in stitches." Hakuba deadpanned.

"Well, if you need stitches, you should have a doctor look at you. I know one who is in a closet on the other side of the base where no one's at." Akako said, feigning a worried look.

"No, no more closets, Commander's orders." Hakuba said sternly.

"Her orders were not to get caught again." Akako said, tugging him out of his seat.

"How do you-?" Akako gave the cat a pointed look before looking back at him. He sighed and decided not to ask. "This isn't a good idea."

"That's never stopped anyone before. Besides, I don't take no for an answer." She responded and proceeded to drag him off, the sounds of his half-hearted protests fading.

Mitsuiko's head popped out from behind a console. "That was close, Ayumi! Who knows what she would've done to us if we'd ruined their moment."

Ayumi came out from behind a large monitor. "Tell me about it! How are things up in the Tank?"

"Its name is not the Think Tank, it's the Scientific Aerial Combat Advancement Center!" the young scientist pouted and Ayumi giggled, tweaking him on the nose.

"Silly, Mitsuiko, it's called the Think Tank and you know it. Don't get your panties all twisted up. Any thing interesting pop up? Any mods we lowly tech lackeys should know about?"

Mitsuiko turned his pout into an excited expression at the mention of his work. "We've been working on this new compound for jet fuel. It's called 3n3r90n and it's the coolest thing, it glows and everything! And we've been working with Miss Shiho on tightening the security on the comm. units too. We'll need Tech Support's help for that."

"Oh, it glows? What color?" Ayumi said, latching on to that one interesting piece of information.

"This kind of purple-pink color with rainbow kind of swirls mixed in. Want to go look at it? It's, like, top secret, but you're my best friend, so if you _promised _not to tell anyone I showed you....." Mitsuiko trailed off and Ayumi grabbed his arm.

"I promise, I promise! Please? Come on Mitsuiko, pretty please? I'll buy you a dessert at lunch tomorrow!" Ayumi begged and the young scientist chuckled.

"Okay, but remember, it's a secret, just you and me."

* * *

**Hmm, so all you D voters, would you be opposed to Mitsuiko/Ayumi by any chance? I'm fond of the idea of him being the Little Scientist That Could and Ayumi and Genta on Tech Support, though Genta's mostly there to do heavy lifting. He's not too bright and all. That reminds me, anyone got any characters they'd like to see show up? Agasa's head of the Think Tank and I'm pretty sure Araide is the crew doctor, but we've got lots of positions to fill if anyone has a favorite obscure character! **

**Polls are still open!**

** And also, a shout out to kaitou_pandora, they found last chapter's Spot the Reference item. It was Omega Supreme, the names of the teams, because he's also this really huge Autobot space ship Transformer guy. We love Omega Supreme, he's awesome. So what does this mean? It means that kaitou_pandora gets to request Any Spoiler for Any Story I have out currently that they want to. Why? Because it amuses me. And my amusement is important, because if I'm not amused, I get mopey and go write mopey oneshots for Kirby's Corpus instead of these semi-cheerful snippets.**

**Are you motiated yet?  
**


	11. Rest

The Scientific Aerial Combat Advancement Center, or, as it was known among the pilots, the Think Tank, was nearly empty at this hour of the night. The darkness hung over it like a shroud, pinpoints of light from experiments and computers left to run over night. The only sound was the hum of computer fans as they lazily cycled air into processors left on standby. That and the _click, clack _of fingers on a keyboard in the further corner of the room.

The digital glow of the computer highlighted the youth's face like a cybernetic ghost of sorts, bright against his skin. And still on he worked, in the dark and silence, with no one about to see him make computations and no one there to here the slow sound of him taking in deep even breathes, as if he were asleep, almost.

Mitsuiko liked to pull long hours in the Think Tank. He liked to research things to help make the pilot's lives easier and to earn the praise of his superiors.

"Hmm, is it that late already? I should probably leave...." His eyes drifted back to the screen, the glow of science appealing to him. _Just a little bit longer, Mitsuiko. _It whispered. _You're so close, don't stop just yet._

"A few more minutes won't hurt." He reasoned and silence descended on the Think Tank again as he went back to what had been one of his only true friends for a long time now.

But not his only one.

"Mitsuiko?" called a voice softly in the dark. Light feet padded towards the back where he was sitting and the petite form of Ayumi appeared, dressed in pink pajamas and clutching a teddy bear she'd told him her grandmother had given her long ago. "For luck." She said, when he'd asked.

"Ayumi? What are you doing up so late?" Mitsuiko said, regarding her worriedly.

"You're still up, Mitsuiko. Go to bed now." She said, as if this were an explanation. She walked over closer to him and leaned over his shoulder, quick fingers closing and saving documents and finally shutting down the computer.

"I had more work to do, Ayumi." He protested weakly. She gave him a sleepy glare, grabbing his arm and pulling him up.

"You can do it tomorrow." She mumbled. "It's time for bed now stupid. What am I, your mother?"

She dragged him sluggishly all the way back to his room and keyed open the lock, dragging him in.

"Go put on your pajamas." She commanded, pointing to the little bathroom attached to his room.

"Shouldn't you go-." He started.

"Now." She commanded and he sighed, knowing better than to argue. He gathered his night clothes and went into the bathroom, changing a brushing his teeth. When he exited, she was still there, glaring drowsily.

"Done?" she demanded and he nodded. When she left, he'd just go back and finish. It wouldn't take very long to get done, an hour or two at most.

She snatched his wrist up again, pulling him over to the bed and pushing him down so that he fell. Immediately, she climbed on it after him, tugging up the cover and curling against his side. Mitsuiko squawked and flailed. "Ayumi! What are you doing?"

"You'll leave after I leave, stupid. No sneaking off like this. Now, go to sleep, Mitsuiko." She grumbled, half asleep.

"But Ayumi!" he complained.

"Go to sleep!" she growled, poking him hard in the ribs.

Pouting, Mitsuiko did as he was told. Morning found him feeling more rested than he'd been in a long time. Best friends were good for a lot of things, number one being that they knew what was was best for you whether you liked it or not.

* * *

**Hmm, I don't know, I'm _really _liking the idea of Mitsuiko/Ayumi. Just think about it for a moment.......See?  
**

**Nah, but still, where is everyone? I'm lonely! Also, anyone remember a while back I told ya'll that I was about to go try for my Driver's License? Well, I kinda failed. But I'm about to try again, really soon! So wish me luck, okay? I need it!**

**I actually included a Transformers reference in this one without noticing and then when I went back to add one (why not? No reason to break the trend!) noticed it. It was kind of crazy, like what happened in Chapter 2, except this one's much easier. Just think about it! Cybertron. _Cyber! _Even if you don't know about what happens to Starscream, it's easy! Promise!  
**


End file.
